Bleaching apparatus.



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BLEACHING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

Application filed A ril 30, 1917. Serial No. 165,455.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK DONAHUE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Utica, county of Oneida, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bleaching Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to an improvement in the mechanism and operation of a bleachin tank for bleaching knitted or woven fabric.

Various efforts have heretofore been made by divers persons to improve the methods of bleaching knitted or woven fabric, and the apparatus for accomplishing this result.

In the drawings similar numerals and letters of reference refer to corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved mechanism, broken lines indicating parts removed, and in the lower portion vertical sections of fluid tanks are shown; the dotted central lines indicate the location of the boiling tube.

Fig. 2 represents a perforated false bottom supported from and in the bottom of the bank. 1

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the false bottom.

Fig. 4 represents the perforated pipe for admitting steam under the false bottom.

In the construction and operation of my apparatus I use such constructive materials and methods of operation as my experience demonstrates as best adapted to their several purposes.

Having described my invention in reference to the figures illustrated in the drawings, I will now proceed to describe the same by the reference letters.

A represents a tubular tank, technically known as keir, in which the bleaching processes are performed and which is shown as made of metal and which may have a protective coating or lining of metal or other substance, resistant to the chemicals 'employed. In the top of this keir I employ a man hole cover 1, Fig. 1, suitably mounted on a frame, on the tank A, which is capable of removal and replacement. This cover is preferably handled by the crane and appurtenances B, the construction and operation of which is too obvious to require extended description. Through this man hole-when opened the fabric to be operated on 1s placed in the keir and ordinarily stamped down by treading on the same so as to pack the fabric in the keir.

Near the bottom of tank A is located a permeable false bottom or diaphragm 2 (see also Figs. 2 and 3). This bottom is shown as slatted but any other construction embodying free permeability could be employed. The false bottom is held in positron by pendant flanges or struts, cut out on their bottoms to allow circulation, and resting on the bottom of the tank. It is evident any equivalent construction could be utilized. Properly supported beneath the false bottom are the perforated cross steam heating pipes 3, (see also Fig. 4), which are connected with the central steam supply by the pipe and valve 4, which admits steam into the false bottom, which when admitted creates an upward flow of the liquid through central v pipe 10 (Fig. l).

The boiling process forces the steam and water up through central pipe 10 in the cen-' ter of the keir, where it is distributed on to the top portions of the fabric which permit it to be percolated through the fabric, thereby utilizing the material over and over again when under heat and pressure.

The fabric when placed dry in the keir is held in position by ropes or chain.8, passing over the top and fastened to the inside of the keir. After fastening the fabric in the keir the man hole is'closed. The alkaline solution, which has been previously prepared in cistern D below the keir is then pumped from said cistern into the keir A to a predetermined point, ascertained by manipulation of valve 7 at the side of the keir. Valve 9 in pump discharge pipe is then closed and steam admitted beneath the permeable bottom through the mediums of v the perforated cross pipes and their steam supply pipe and valve 4, which eventually brings the liquid in the tank A to the boiling point, so that when the boiling point is reached, the fluid is forced up through central pipe 10, and is discharged on to the goods. I do not confine myself "to any particular conformation of deflector plate. The small upright pipe 22, shown as projecting upward from the center of the perforated cross steam pipes, is for V the purpose of facilitating circulation while the apparatus 7 and goods are cool. The small jet of steam issuing therefrom induces an upward ourrent in the pipe 10. When the goods are hot, this pipe could be dispensed with. The

liquid passing up through pipe 10 falls back upon the goods, percolates down through them and the permeable bottom and is again returned, making a cycle of operations that can be continued as long as desired. When this portion of the process is completed the,

steam is turned off from the cross pipes, by manipulating valve 4:, valves 12, 13 and 14:

'opened and valves 15 and 16 closed and the liquid runs ofl' to waste.

Clearwater is then admitted on top of the goods, in the keir,by opening valve 17 which controls the water supply and closing valve 9, valves 13, 12, 14, 15 and 16 remaining in the positions above noted, which water being discharged on top of the goods, percolates down through'and runsto waste. This process is continued until' the goods are suiiiciently washed.

When this process is completed, the water is shut off-at valve 17, the man-hole cover removed and the chlorin solution, which'has been previously prepared in cistern E ispumped up on top of the goods by the operation of pump 0 and by closing valves 14, 12, 18 and 19 and opening valves 9, .13,

15, 16 and 20. The pumping is continued until 'siilflicient chlorin solution is introduced into the keir A. When this point is reached, valves 13, 16 and 20 are closed and valves 12, 15, 18 and 19 opened. This valve setting allows the solution to percolate down through the goods and into cistern D and from this it is pumped. by pump 0 again to the top of the goods, making a cycle of operation that can becontinued as long as desired. It is evident that manipulation of valve 15, opening same more or -les s, will control therate of flow .of the liquid through the goods and only such amount of liquid as s'permitted to run into cistern D can be handled by pump 0.

When the chlorin treatment has been carried as far as desired, the chlorin solution is run back intocistern E, by closing valves 14 and 15 and opening valves 12, 13 and 16 and stopping pump when cistern is empg.

.nThe goods are then washed. w1 clean water and admitted throu h valve 17 and permitted to pass through t e goods by closing valves 9, 15 and 16 and opening valves 12,513 and 14, whereit runs to waste.

0 neutralize such traces of chlorin as may remain after washing I use a weak acid solution which I prepare by introducingthe a vertical necaoaa proper amount of acid into cistern 1), which is empty, and diluting same to the properdegree .by admitting water through pipe and valve 21. This solution is applied to and circulated through the goods and finally disposed of, in the same manner as dethe construction and method of operation of my improved bleaching apparatus and method, which I claim as new, novel and useful and for which I desire issuance of Letters Patent of the United States, which I claim as follows, viz:

1. In a bleaching apparatus, a keirhaving a permeable false bottom in its lower portion, means for discharging steam into the keir below said bottom, a vertical pipe opening through said bottom and extending to the upper portion of the interior of thekeir, a cistern below the keir, a pipe extending from the lower portion of the cistern to the upper portion of the keir, a pump for forcing liquid from the cistern through said pipe into the upper portion of the keir,

a drain pipe from the lower end of the keir to said cistern, and valves controlling flow through said pipes.

2.. In combination, a normally-closed keir provided with a permeable false bottom, a

vertical pipe at its lower end opening through said bottom and having its upper end open in the upper portion of said keir, a steam discharge and distributing pipe arranged in the keir below said bottom and provided with a steam su ply pipe, a steam jet tube from said steamischarge pipe and extending upwardly in said vertical pipe, a cistern below said keir, a pump having discharge pipe opening into the upper part of the keir, piping providing a drain from the keir below said bottom leading to waste and to said cistern and arranged to place said pump in suction communication with said Hill) cistern, and valves controlling com'mu'nication through said piping. v

3. In combination, a keir having a permeable false bottom and steam discharging and distributing means below said bottom, ipe at its lower endopening through said bottom and having an open end in the upper part of the keir, a pump having its discharge pipe extending into the upper part of the keir, a liquid deflector arranged immediately over the open upper end of said vertical pipe and carried by the outlet end of said discharge pipe, a cistern below the level of the keir, and valve controlled piping providing a drain from the keir and a suction pipe from the cistern for said pump.

e- In combination, a normally-closed keir provided with a permeable false bottom, means for heating the liquid therein and drawing the same from below said bottom and discharging the same into the upper part of the keir, an alkaline-solution cistern, a chlorin-solution cistern, said cisterns being arranged below the level of the keir, a pump having a discharge pipe with its outlet in the upper part of the keir, piping providing a drain from the lower end of the keir to waste and to both cisterns and also providing suction communication from said pump to the bottom portions of both cisterns, and valves in said piping whereby the keir can be opened to waste and closed from the pump suction and from both cisterns, and whereby the keir can be closed to waste and from the pump suction and open to either cistern, and whereby the keir can be closed from waste and the cisterns and pump and either cistern opened to pump suction and the other closed to pump suc tion, and whereby the keir can be closed to waste and to one cistern and opened to drain into the other cistern and the pump suction simultaneously.

5. In combination, a normally-closed keir having a permeable false bottom with a ver tical circulating pipe at its lower end open below said bottom and at its upper end open in the upper part of the keir, steam discharging means in the keir below said bottom, two cisterns for treating fluids, a single pump having its discharge pipe arranged to discharge fluid into the upper part of the keir, a drain pipe from the keir having a cut ofl" valve, a distributing pipe into which said drain'pipe opens, said distributing pipe opening into the pump suction and having branches depending to the bottom portions of said cisterns, respectively, each branch provided With a cut ofi. valve below said distributing pipe, a cut off valve between said distributing pipe and the pump suction, out off valves in said distributing pipe' between said drain pipe and said branches, and a valved drain from said distributing pipe to one of said cisterns.

-6. In bleaching apparatus, in combination, a keir having a top manhole and a cover normally closing the same, a penneable false bottom in said keir, a vertical pipe at its lower end open through said bottom and at its upper end open in the upper part of the keir, steam discharging and distributing means below said bottom, cisterns below the keir, a valve controlled drain pipe from the keir to said cisterns, and valve controlled pumping apparatus for lifting liquid from said cisterns and discharging the same into the upper part of the keir.

7. In bleaching apparatus, in combination, a normally-closed keir having a permeable false bottom and steam discharging apparatus under said bottom, a cistern below the level of the keir, a valve controlled drain from the keir to said cistern, a pump having suction communication with said cistern, a discharge pipe from the pump to the upper part of the keir, a cut off valve in said discharge pipe, and a water supply pipe opening into said discharge pipe between said cut-ofi' valve and the keir and provided with a cut off.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my Y signature in the presence of two Witnesses. FRANK DONAHUE. Witnesses:

HARRY M. GARVEY, C. J. FUEss. 

